7/9: Tuesday - Tokyo > Seattle

After a good sleep in a wonderfully air-conditioned room and a yummy breakfast provided by the hotel, Mike, Sylvia and I headed off by taxi to a Narita City mall for... yes, Starbucks! and some last minute shopping and a bite of lunch.  We were at the airport by 3:00pm, and winging our way back to Seattle by 5:30pm (Japan time).

Heading home (borrowed image)

We arrived safe and sound at SeaTac at 10:30am (Seattle time) after an 8 and a half hour flight across the Pacific ocean and the dateline.  We already had a 10:30am at Narita City; it's weird to do that time jump...

Gordon is staying in Tokyo for a few extra days to do some Microsoft work from there, and will return this weekend.

This has been a great trip with a great team.  And serving along the Gilberts is always a special opportunity.  We asked ourselves, When will we return to Ishinomaki and Onagawa?  God knows, and we'll leave it in his hands.  Meanwhile, part of our hearts are welded to the people and places we've just visited, and we pray for continued healing and hope.

7/8: Monday - Ishinomaki > Sendai > Tokyo

Whew, what a day.  Travel days are partly fun, but partly exhausting, especially today in the middle of a heat wave and oppressive humidity.  Gaaaaaak.

We said farewell to Gilberts, Longs, Danielle & Matthius, and Tobi, and caught the 9:30 AM bus from Ishinomaki to Sendai station, where 90 minutes later, we got tickets for an 11:46 bullet train to Tokyo. 

The "Shinkansen" in Tohoku (borrowed photo)

  Always a pleasure to ride the "Shinkansen" at 270 km/h (165 mph).  Arrived in Tokyo just before 2 PM, stored our big luggage, and then went 30 min on a couple trains to where Gordon will be staying for a few extra days.  AFter he got checked in, we 3 guys headed up to Shinjuku and then up the Tokyo Government Office towers to see the city.  45 floors up and all you see for 360 degrees is city.  I've been there many times before, but it still amazes me.

Looking east across downtown Tokyo (borrowed photo)

After Shinjuku, we headed to Shibuya and the world's busiest pedestrian crossing, along with the world's busiest Starbucks.  Fun!  

Note the Starbucks on right (borrowed photo)

By this time, we were completely exhausted from walking around in the heat, and were also getting worried about connecting with Sylvia who was flying from Sapporo to Tokyo and was supposed to meet up for supper.  Long story short, we finally met up near the famous Hachiko dog statue, and headed back to Tokyo station.  We said Good-bye to Gordon at Shinagawa as he transferred back to his hotel, and we remaining 3 got our big luggage at Tokyo, found a train to Narita City, and finally arrived at our hotel about 10 PM.  This little hotel has become our favorite place to stay as we arrive or depart Japan because of being so convenient, inexpensive, clean and comfortable, plus it has free breakfast!  Yumm!  

A long cool shower, some refreshing air conditioning, and we all slept  well.

7/7: Sunday - Ishinomaki

Amazing day in many ways, with lots of components happening at once.

First, Sylvia took a bus from Ishinomaki to Sendai, where she caught an early afternoon flight up to Sapporo.  She is doing a 24 hour mission care visit with Wakako Clark.  Quick background: Tim and Wakako Clark are Asian Access missionaries we've known for years, and are supported by Westminster Chapel; their 2 year old son Hiroki, has leukemia, and seems to be recuperating, plus the Clarks are going through massive transition in their ministry from Hokkaido to Tokyo. So with a special flight ticket and some extra donations to cover the lodging, Sylvia is able to spend some care and comfort time with Wakako, who has been under daily off-the-charts stress with all the challenges in their lives.

Meanwhile, a group of believers and missionaries gathered at the beach for a join worship service, followed by a baptism in the ocean. Yuko's story is full of agony and heartbreak before the tsunami, and then of even more loss and tragedy because of the disaster.  But in an amazing connection, she met Sue Takamoto who loved and cared for her, gave her a job and hope at Nozomi Project, and introduced her to Jesus who is giving her life healing and joy.  So now, instead of committing suicide (as she had tried several times before) she is committing her life to Jesus Christ.  Amazing grace, amazing love, amazing transformation.

Eric Takamoto leading the combined service at the Ishinomaki beach

Gordon and Tobi leading the worship songs

Yuko telling her story of tragedy transformed into life and hope

Heading out into the ocean for the baptism

Yuko about to be baptized 

Celebrating with Yuko (yellow towel and flowers)

BBQ lunch; center back is the English student, Ogawa-san (?), Mike, and Gordon

Gordon and Tobi leading more worship songs

Farewell songs led by Gordon and Tobi

Following a potluck BBQ together, and some final songs and blessings, we 3 guys started our preparations to pack up and leave tomorrow.  Of course, that included a final stop at the Ishinomaki Starbucks.  ;-)  That evening, we had an obento supper with the Gilbert team, then home to finish packing and departure details.

7/6: Saturday - Ishinomaki Gospel Music Festival

Today is the big Gospel Music Festival.  It's being held out at a large city park in Ishinomaki.  Rather then write about it, here's lots of photos to tell the story.

Gordon helping set up the hotdog booth

Preping the Fruit and Coffee booth

Helping to prepare the fruit cups

Sylvia working with Miki (green top) and other staff

The enticing fruit cups

Andy, Keiko, Gordon, and Jonathan at the hotdog booth

Enjoying a visit with Chu-san, a featured singer and long-time friend, along with Mika and Hidemasa

Gordon grilling the hotdogs

The kids group was one of nearly a dozen performers

John Lucas singing; out booths are the green tent middle left and upper level center

John Lucas and his Gospel music is a big hit

The Gilbert team with Miki and her staff

Sylvia having a significant conversation with Miki's sister, Yuri

Lot's of great connections today, with great cooperation among the various ministry groups in Ishinomaki.

7/5: Friday - Ishinomaki

As we get ready for the big Gospel Music Festival tomorrow, we spent this day doing lots of preparation.  We're teaming up with Miki who runs a coffee shop in Onagawa, and is planning two booths to sell hotdogs, fruit cups, dessert cups, coffee (hot and cold) and bubble tea.  

Meanwhile, another team stopped by to help clean and prepare pottery shards for the Onagawa branch of the Nozomi Project.  They are mostly from Canada, and worked hard.

The Canada team - along with Gordon and Tobi - cleaning shards

Sorting the clean shards for future Nozomi Project jewelry

Not a lot of overt "ministry stuff" today, but essential ground-work for tomorrow, and especially in the relationship building with Miki and her sisters and family.

Our errands took us by this vacant lot - many memories here because it was the site of "takidashi" (see 6/29)

Also, Sylvia had the chance today to go with Sue Takamoto to an Asian Access women's meeting near Sendai, and was glad to connect with 5-6 of the local missionary gals at their monthly gathering.  And Mike had a chance to do more video work in Onagawa.  

Good day all around.

7/4: Thursday - Ishinomaki

Being in Japan for American Independence Day is interesting.  Quite a normal day in most respects, so attempted a minor Hoop-de-do in the evening.  

In the morning, Mike interviewed Gilberts for their section of the video.  It was good to hear their story again: setting aside their hopes and dreams in an established, thriving ministry Fukuoka, in southern Japan, to move up to daily chaos and turmoil in Ishinomaki.  They are so full of grace and balance in their relationships and approach to ministry.  Wonderful folks!

The afternoon highlight was a concert at another temporary housing site (we heard approx. 60 of these sites are in the Onagawa area alone), but instead of we goofy "gaijins" (foreigners) doing a sing-along, the musicians were Julliard students.  Wow, they are good!  This team of 5 are all believers who raised support to do this as a mission trip. 

A marvelous duet by Kristen and Josh

Megumi's ballet was entrancing

An appreciative audience

Surprise!  Josh is the MK son of missionary friends we had lost contact with

 Supper was an American BBQ at Gilberts with the whole team.  Nice to just relax and enjoy the fun together.  But soon Jonathan left with Gordon and Matthius for an English class outreach in Onagawa.

Hamburgers and hot dogs - yummy!

Jonathan feeling patriotic as Mike and Gordon enjoy the food and fun

L-R: Andy, Kathrine, Sylvia, Tobi, Mark, Lorna, Gordon, Jonathan, Mike

Jonathan teaching the English class

Gordon and Ogawa-san (?) at the English class

7/3: Wednesday - Ishinomaki & Onagawa

Very interesting day of close focus compared to the wide scope of disaster sites yesterday. Sylvia and Mike went to see the Nozomi Project in operation (see below) while Gordon and I joined Andy and Jonathan for some "prayer walking" over in Onagawa.  

The way the Gilbert's team does prayer walking is to simply walk around in a selected neighborhood or city block, and pray for the people see - as well as the issues you don't see - along the way.  Often the prayers are interrupted by conversations with people who walk by, and frequently these lead to some very significant relationships.  

This morning's prayer walk was close to a place where 2 years ago I had met a wonderful lady and her daughter and grandkids, and I had asked Andy if we might try to find her.  Providentially, a couple months ago he had met with someone of the same name and age in the temporary housing site in this location, and with a few inquiries we found her!  

Asakura-san at her home in the temporary housing units (July, 2013)

With Asakura-san, her daughter and grandkids in Onagawa (April, 2011)

Asakura-san is doing well, and we had a wonderful visit.  She is a long-time Christian believer, one of only a handful in the town, and is eager to participate in some sort of church.  We're praying for a house church to develop near her.

In the afternoon, Gordon and I had a chance to participate in another outreach with tsunami survivors at a temporary housing.  Danielle and Matthius had asked us to join them, and once again we used the goofy hats, played kazoos, and helped to lift their spirits.  The leader of this group is part of a struggling local church, so we're trusting for good growth to occur.

Gordon and me singing with Danielle at the temporary housing units

Would you believe that "Twist & Shout" is a big hit?

Meanwhile, over at the Nozomi project, Sylvia and Mike had a chance to see (and video) the amazing work that Sue Takamoto is doing.  "Nozomi" means "hope" in Japanese, and that's what the project is all about.  Here's comments from Sylvia: "Former co-workers of ours with Life Ministries were led to come to Ishinomaki, and Sue Plumb-Takamoto prayed about how to be a change agent in this desolate area. She wanted to do something that would give the survivors who have no jobs, no money, no hope, something to do while ministering God's love and grace and eternal redemption.

This led Sue to envision making jewelry using the shards of broken dish pottery (no Corelle or Melmac here!) that lay strewn over all of the lots where once houses had stood.  That was the beginning of a literal home-cottage business that has become Nozomi (Hope) Project (http://nozomiproject.com/pages/about-us). The jewelry is a great spiritual metaphor, isn't it!  Sue employs at least 10-15 young mothers, all who have heart breaking stories of surviving the tsunami. Every day there is a short devotional time, and this Sunday one of the women working at the Nozomi Project will be baptized in the ocean. "

Sue describing the grinding process

Pottery shards that have been ground into shape

Women creating the jewelry

More creation - incredible to think these survivors have such tragic stories of loss

Selecting the necklace pendants

A nearly finished necklace

A happy customer

After supper, the team had group Bible study and we got to join them for it.  Once again, we're so impressed with Andy and Lorna's excellent leadership of a diverse and capable team.

Joining the Gilbert team's Bible study

Lorna and Sylvia with Minami who is helping with Nozomi in Onagawa